Just Another Job
by Kellie Fay
Summary: Another Tale from Puckworld:  Duke Meets up with Canard for a mission that involves Cassidy's ancient home.


Just Another Job

by Kellie Fay

Disclaimers and apologies.   
  


Yes Yes Yes! I know Disney owns the Mighty Ducks in all possible manifestations. I can't seem to explain that to my creativity demons who insist I write this stuff.  
  


For those of you who do not know who Cassidy Mallar is please read "When Thieves Rush In" Which is on this site. That explains how Duke ended up soul bonded to a bossy ghost who can control him when she wants too. You can also read "When Great Minds Meet," and "The Meeting of the Minds" which is a double story done with two different points of view. That tells how Duke First met Canard and Mallory.   
  


And now my apology.

For those of you who are better writers than me; yes I know my story is full of spelling, grammatical, and punctual errors. I've read it over three times before posting and would have gotten one or two friends to proof it, but most of my friends don't like reading my Mighty Ducks fics. They like my gargoyles stuff (Yes I do gargoyles too.) If the errors you find really bother you, please please please feel free to correct and send the corrections back to me and I will repost. I will also consider that an invitation to send you any of my future MD fics that need editing. Thank you in advance.   
  


Okay I think I've kept you all in suspense long enough.  
  


*************************  
  


Just Another Job  
  


"Well look who's here," Cassidy whispered one evening to Duke.   
  


They had stopped at an inn for the night. It was one of those shady dark places that had all sorts of strange ne'er-do-wells. The floor was slate, the benches and tables were made of a dark wood stained by the countless meals that had been served there. Duke had taken a small corner table away from the smoke, and the alcoholic mist of the common room, and watched all the residents suspiciously.   
  


~Who's here, Cas?~ Duke thought to his invisible companion. Several months after Duke had resigned himself to being under Cassidy's control, she had taught him how to communicate to her with just thought. It saved Duke a lot of trouble. People would think he were mad if they heard him talking to thin air all day. As it was he had to teach himself not to look directly at her. She was very pretty with her old fashioned hoop skirts, and peasant blouse. Her feathers were a soft grey that matched her purple grey eyes, and contrasted nicely her blond crest.   
  


"To your left," Cassidy said, as the waitress came by with his dinner.   
  


Duke took a small bite, and looked to his left. He saw a glimpse of someone, but they vanished quickly in the crowd. ~Cas? Who was it Cassidy? I lost them.~ Duke asked mentally.   
  


"Hello, friend." A familiar voice said. Duke spun around in his chair to see Canard, the tan male duck he had saved in the convoy several months ago. He was one of the top operatives in the resistance. The only person that gave the Saurians the same amount of grief Canard did, was himself. 

"You!" Duke said, surprised. He was glad to see him of course. "Come here, sit down, I'll buy you a drink!"   
  


They ate their meals in silence for a time. To Duke's surprise, Canard did not ask for Duke's name. Duke never formally introduced himself to Canard and his partner, and as far as he knew, Canard didn't know that Duke knew his identity. Duke decided to keep Canard in the dark about how much he really knew. So, after a time Duke said, "so, friend, do you have a name?"  
  


"I'm called Canard," Canard said evenly. Then with a mischievous grin said, "and I hear that you used to be Duke L'Orange."  
  


Duke frowned instantly. He resented the implication that he wasn't as good a thief as he used to be. It wasn't his fault that he was saddle with an opinionated ghost determined to end his stealing days for good. Okay it was his fault, but only because he was a thief. "I was good enough to save your skins and use your own explosives to finish the job you abandoned." Duke reminded him.  


Canard chuckled. "Point made," he said. "So, are you still into your old line of work?"  
  


Duke wondered what Canard was up too. It had to be something interesting if Canard was considering asking him for help. "Why do you want to know?" Duke asked casually.   
  


"Because there's something that the Saurians have in the Southern Valley that the resistance could really use. I was the one who thought it best to hire a thief to steal something from the Saurians, and what better thief than the best of them all."  
  


"Hmmmm you have my attention," Duke said evenly   
  


At the same time he was listening to Cassidy. She said, "my family lived in the Southern Valley. I wonder if Canard want's something in my old home."  
  


~Is your home still there?~ Duke asked mentally.   
  


"I do not know," Cassidy answered. "I have not seen my home since I died."  
  


~I wonder what we'll find if we go there.~ Duke thought to his spectral companion. To Canard he said, "I think I might be interested enough to take the job. What's in it for me?"  
  


"Duke!" Cassidy said disapprovingly, and he felt her jerk his controlling leash.  
  


~Relax sweetheart it won't look good if I don't ask for payment. I don't like how he asked if I used to be Duke L'Orange. I have to keep up appearances, you know~ Duke mentally snapped back at her.   
  


Cassidy sighed, but didn't argue further. Duke won that round, he was right. Leaning back, feeling satisfied, Duke listened to Canard's offer.   
  


"We can give you 200 aixs before the job, and another 500 after we have the item." Canard said softly.   
  


Duke pretended to think about it. "Seven hundred isn't very much," Duke said casually.   
  


"Duke!" Cassidy all but shouted in his ear.   
  


~I said relax, Cas, I know what I'm doing. I'm staying in character. You know I'm taking the job.~  
  


"I know you don't have any choice ," Cassidy answered amused.   
  


"I can see about getting you another hundred or so, but only after the mission." Canard said evenly. "We're not very wealthy right now due to the occupation."  
  


Duke tapped his finger against his beak thoughtfully. "I guess I can give you a bit of a discount. After all it is all for our planet's freedom. "  
  


"You simply have to show off don't you L'Orange." Cassidy said. Duke had to hide a chuckle.  
  


"So you'll take it?" Canard asked.   
  


Duke sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I'll help you out. What do you want and where in the valley is it?"  
  


"You'll see tomorrow." Canard said, rising from his seat. He placed a pair of hundred axis chips down on the table for Duke. "Meet me at the warehouse after sundown at Fifth and Airborne , and I'll brief you then."  
  


Duke smiled as he picked up the chips. "I'll see you tomorrow night then, Canard."   
  


Canard nodded then left the inn. Duke paid for the meal then went to his room to talk to Cassidy.   


"I can't believe you took money from him for this!" Cassidy said the moment they were alone. Anything you can do that helps the resistance to stop Dragonus is worth doing for free!"  
  


"Cassie, only amateurs work for free! Canard knows I'm a professional." Duke pounded on a pillow angrily. "You used to be Duke L'Orange..." he repeated. He looked up at Cassidy and shook his finger at her. "You did this to me, lady. You've been cramping my style since I picked you up! Canard expected me to ask for money! If I didn't he'd think I was just some rookie posing as me. If I didn't act the way I did, he wouldn't have given us the job at all."  
  


Cassidy sighed. "I suppose, but what are you going to do with the money?" She asked.  
  


Duke grinned slightly. "Well since you put a halt to my life of crime, I've needed some cash." He continued before she could protest. "I'll keep fifty of it for expenses. The rest I'll leave for that orphanage we saw in the last town. It shouldn't take us too long to skate back up there and break into the offices to drop off the money."  
  


Cassidy looked at her companion in confusion. "Well that I like, but why break in, Duke?"   
  


Duke chuckled. "Because it would look very strange if Duke L'Orange walked up to a orphanage and knocked on the door to donate money. It's better they don't know where it comes from. Besides, it will make a nice little warm up for whatever Canard has in store." Duke went into a couple of stretches, and said eagerly, "Cassie my sweet, I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting job indeed."  
  


***************************  
  


Duke tried not to shiver as he and Canard crawled on their bellies in the ditch. The ground was cold and hard and there were sharp pebbles digging into his legs. Even so he was a bit excited. Cassidy seemed to be very hyper about something.   
  


~What is up with you? ~ He asked her. Her emotions were making him giddy.   
  


"I know where we are," She said happily. "This is where I grew up! Duke, I think Canard is taking us to my family's home!"  
  


After about five miles of sneaking and hiding they peeked over the hill to see a large ruin of a building. It had been grand, but most of the grandness had been lost by time. The building was falling apart, and there were no doors or windows. The statues decorating the towers were green with lichens, Ten hunter drones guarded the front entrance. The raw beauty of the place still filled Duke with awe. ~It's such a shame,~ he thought sadly. ~We've lost so much. ~  
  


"There it is," Canard said, "Mallar Manor, one of the legendary homes of Drake Dukane."  
  


Cassidy was absolutely right. This is where her family had lived nearly two thousand years ago. He knew about Drake Dukane living there. Drake had been Cassidy's cousin. They practically grew up together. Even so, he didn't want to explain to Canard how he knew. "If Drake Dukane lived there, why is it called Mallar Manor?" He asked.   
  


"The Mallars were one of the ruling families on Puckworld during the first Saurian attacks. According to legend Drake Dukane either knew the Mallars, or he was actually related to them," Canard explained. "They knew more about Drake Dukane than anyone else. They were the last of the ruling families to hold out against the Saurians.  
  


Duke nodded and said, "so, Canard, what are we here for?"  
  


Canard took in a deep breath and said, "The resistance needs some information that can be found in the Mallar records. We have to get by the Saurians searching the place, find where the ancient records are, and get them."  
  


"Let me get this straight," Duke said, sounding a bit unsettled. "There are Saurians in there looking for some records the Mallar Family had there two thousand years ago. You want us to get in without being spotted, and to find what they're looking for? You wouldn't happen to know where their vault is, would you?"  
  


"We'll find it," Canard said confidently. "Don't worry."   
  


"In other words, you don't know where the vault is," Duke said, sourly.  
  


"Duke, I know where the vault is." Cassidy reminded him. "I think I know what he's looking for."  
  


~I know sweetheart, but still what was he thinking when he hired me on? What did he think I was, a miracle worker?~ Duke asked her.  
  


Cassidy couldn't help but laugh at that. "He thought he was hiring The Great Duke L'Orange."   
  


~Oh yeah, you're a big help.~  
  


Oblivious to Cassidy's additions to the conversation, Canard answered Duke. "Once inside I can find the vault," he insisted. "Your job, as the thief, is to get us inside without being seen."  
  


Duke grinned. This was the part of the job he did like. "Well that I can do. All we have to do is use the entrance they aren't guarding.." Duke surveyed the building carefully. There were Saurians and hunter drones all over the grounds, patrolling the front door and the first floor windows. Duke didn't like going in by the first floor anyway. He liked to go in on a floor that looked unguarded. Unfortunately the building only had two stories, and that floor was as guarded as the first.   
  


A bit of reflected light caught his attention to the roof. There he saw a skylight large enough for them to climb through on the south side of the house. "I think I have our way in." He told his partner. "I'll go scout it out, and tell you if we can use it."  
  


"No," Canard insisted. "We go together."  
  


Duke shook his head emphatically. "No way, Canard. I can get through these guys without being seen. They might just spot you. I can't do a first time run watching you and them at the same time. Let me run though this solo right now and scout out the territory. I'll come right back for you." Then to make Canard smile, he said, "I still don't know exactly what you want anyway."  
  


Canard smiled for a second, but then his features turned grim again. "All right," he agreed, reluctantly. "Go ahead, but I'll be watching."   
  


Duke knew that tone of voice. ~ Great, just what I need, some wannabe adventurer who thinks that a noble purpose will take the place of years of training and experience! ~To his surprised Cassidy didn't even snicker. She agreed with him.   
  


"Wait here, and stay out of sight," Duke ordered. Before Canard could answer Duke slipped into the shadows, and vanished completely   
  


Duke crawled slowly across the rocky terrain, keeping as flat and as unseen as possible. A storage shed gave him the cover he needed to get close to the house.   
  


"Interesting," Cassidy said softly as Duke checked around for watchers.  
  


~Cas, hon, just hold that thought. I'm a little busy right now.~ Duke reminded her. Cassidy remained silent after that, but Duke knew that he would hear from her later. He spied a drain pipe in a shadowed corner. As nimble as a cat, he quickly and quietly climbed up the pipe to the roof. Once on the roof he crept over to the skylight.  
  


As he had suspected there were no Saurians below the skylight. They didn't believe it was an entry point. It was the perfect way in.  
  


Duke moved along the roof to find his way down when he saw Canard moving towards the storage shed.   
  


~Damn! No! Canard!~ Duke thought in a panic. He just knew Canard was going to be spotted by the Saurians. Canard hadn't spent half his life practicing the art of not being seen.   
  


Duke held his heart in his throat as he watched Canard copy his scramble exactly. Well almost exactly. He reached for the drain pipe when he should have frozen in the shadows. A hue burly almost round Saurian with beady eyes and a spiked tail caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.   
  


"Stop who goes there!" He shouted in a deep gravely voice.  
  


~Please Canard, just freeze. Don't move. DON'T MOVE! ~  
  


Canard dove for the shadows of the storage shed.   
  


From within his mind, Duke heard Cassidy say, amused, "I have news for you, Duke, he moved."  
  


~Oh yeah, Cas, I noticed. Thanks a lot. You're a big help. ~ Duke thought back at her.   
  


The Saurians and the drones immediately opened fire on Canard. Duke bit back a curse and began to move to rescue his partner.   
  


"Wait," Cassidy instructed.   
  


Duke didn't understand, but Cassidy often knew when events were about to happen. He stayed put, and watched from hiding.   
  


Canard managed to avoid the tacheon blasts. He took cover behind the storage shed, and held an outstretched hand at his adversaries, as he fired his puck launcher with the other hand.  
  


Three more Saurians and a dozen drones joined the single large guard. Cas, Duke began worriedly   
  


"Wait," Cassidy repeated Duke sighed, and obeyed.   
  


Suddenly all the Saurians clasped their hands to their heads and fell to their knees.   
  


~What the? ~  
  


On his knees the largest Saurian shouted, "He's one of them! Get the mind wand!"   
  


~So what's the mind wand?~ Duke asked.   
  


"I don't know," Cassidy answered uncertainly  
  


At that moment a Saurian, taller than the round one, came out of the manor and pointed a small golden stick at Canard.   
  


Instantly Canard cried out in pain. He fell to his knees and closed his eyes in a wince.   
  


~What the hell? ~  
  


"Duke, that device it attacks the brains of those with gifts! You have to save him.   
  


Duke pulled a small explosive puck, he filched from Canard's gear, and flipped it into the group. The Drones exploded into dozens of bits. Duke pulled out his grappler and threw it around a nearby tree. Pulling it tight, he swung down and in a single moved scooped up Canard and swung about twenty feet away from the Saurians.  
  


Needless to say his appearance surprised the Saurians. "What the?" The largest Saurian shouted. Then with a, "get them!" He raced after Duke.   
  


Duke hoisted Canard over his shoulder in a fireman carry, and ran for the foothills behind the manor.   
  


~Cas!~ Duke thought in a near panic. ~You know this area, do you know somewhere where we can hide out? ~  
  


"I think so," Cassidy said. "But to get there you have to let me do it."  
  


Duke didn't like the sound of that. ~Let you do it?~  
  


"Just relax and let me take over completely, and I can get us there. You'll never find it by me describing it's location to you.   
  


Duke didn't like that idea, but he liked the idea of getting captured even less.   
  


~Okay, Cas, go ahead,~ he thought.  
  


He felt Cassidy gather her energies. "Relax," she said.  
  


Duke did as he was told, closing his eyes, and he knew nothing more.  
  


*************  
  


Duke awoke to find himself and Canard in a small deep cave. Canard was sound asleep in an alcove, covered in a thermal blanket.  
  


Duke shook his head to clear it of the odd images running through his mind. Cas? Duke mentally asked.  
  


Cassidy appeared instantly at his side. "It's all right, Duke. We lost the 

Saurians, but they have doubled the guards around the house."  
  


Duke remained silent. He didn't want to wake Canard. He also didn't want Canard to catch him talking to Cassidy. ~How's Canard and what happened to him?~ He asked.  
  


"That device of theirs attacks one who is gifted. It wounds the mind like a weapon wounds the body," Cassidy explained.  
  


~Wounds the mind? Cas, is he all right?~  
  


Cassidy nodded. "He has no permanent damage, but he should rest for a day at least.   
  


Duke shook his head. ~ But the Saurians are on to us now. If they find the vault before we have a chance to search it we'll lose whatever it is that Canard wants.~  
  


Cassidy glanced at Canard, then turned back to Duke. "Duke, I know where the vault is. I can lead you to it," she said.  
  


~But Cas, I don't know what Canard wants,~ Duke answered.   
  


"So we'll take everything in the vault. I certainly don't want the Saurians to have it." Cassidy gave Duke a sly grin as she answered. She then turned back to Canard wordily. "My only concern is that Canard not be left alone."  
  


Duke nodded. He didn't want to leave Canard injured either. ~ Canard had a partner on his last job,~ Duke mused. ~Since he brought me in, she wasn't needed here, but I'll just bet she's in town somewhere as a back up. Cas, where are we?~  
  


"About halfway through the mountain pass away from the manor." Cassidy said. Before he could ask his next question she told him, "If you're thinking of sending a message the Saurians will never be able to track it."  
  


That satisfied Duke. ~ That's what I wanted to hear. In that case, I'm calling his partner. I'll be back.~  
  


Duke found three exits from the cave. Taking the left tunnel as Cassidy had instructed, Duke came out facing the largest of the three moons setting on the horizon. Taking a good look around, Duke could see that the mountains stood between them and the manor.  
  


Satisfied that he would not be detected by the Saurians, Duke took out Canard's communicator, and activated it. "Hello," He said into the device. "Hello? Anybody there? Canard needs a little help. Hello?"  
  


With a crackling sound. The radio came to life. "Canard? Where are you? You're supposed to check in every twelve hours when you're out alone. What am I going to do with you?"  
  


Duke grinned, he recognized that voice. "Well, Red, what I'd like you to do is come over here and take care of him, so I can finish the job he hired me for."  
  


After a few seconds of shocked silence, Duke finally heard Canard's partner exclaim, "you!"   
  


"Yep, it's me," Duke replied cheerily. "It's good to see you too, Red."  
  


"The name is Mallory," she all but growled back. "Where's Canard?"  
  


Duke chuckled. "Canard didn't take my advice, so now he'd nursing his injuries. If you still want me to empty the contents of the Mallar vault you'll show up now and take care of your partner."  
  


After another moment of silence he heard a sigh, and Mallory said, "All right. I've got your location. I'll be there in ten clicks."  
  


"I'll be waiting," Duke answered. Sure enough, nine minutes and forty seven seconds later, Duke saw a flash of red and purple alone at the foot of the mountains.  
  


Duke waited until Mallory was quiet close. He came out of hiding right behind her.   
  


Mallory was checking her com for the tracking signal and muttering to herself. "Canard's really done it this time. My dad is going to have a fit. I can't believe he went off on his own with no backup."  
  


"He did bring back up. He brought me," Duke said from behind her.  
  


"Yeow!" Mallory spun around to face Duke with her puck blaster drawn.  
  


"Hey, easy, sweetheart," Duke said holding up his hands in surrender. "Believe it or not, I'm on your side."  
  


"Try not," Mallory answered. She looked Duke up and down critically. "Where's Canard?"  
  


Duke nodded towards the cave's entrance. He led the way through the maze of passages to the chamber where Canard lay. Mallory winced slightly eyeing the narrow tunnels uneasily as she followed.   
  


When they entered the cavern they found Canard awake, but still looking a little worse for wear. He raised an eyebrow slightly, seeing Mallory. "Hey there Lieutenant," he said, cheerily.  
  


"Hey, yourself," Mallory answered back. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? What were you thinking, bringing him in?"  
  


"Who better to steal something than a thief?" Canard replied calmly. He winced slightly, and put his hand to his head. "Oh, man. What did they hit me with?"  
  


"They called it a mind wand," Duke explained. "You're going to have to tell me what it does, though. It didn't affect me at all."  
  


"It felt as if something stuck a knife in my brain." Canard complained.  
  


Mallory laughed. "Serves you right, Canard. Isn't there an old saying about fools rushing in?"  
  


Canard sighed and put his head back down. "Kill me now," he begged. "Save me from a lecture."  
  


Duke gave a dry chuckle. "Sorry, Canard. I happen to agree with her. Now I'm going to have to do this job solo."  
  


Mallory turned to face Duke. "Wait, your still going? But you don't know what we need. Do you?"  
  


"Nope," Duke admitted. "I was just going to empty the vault at no extra cost. So you two just sit tight and relax. I should be back by tomorrow night."  
  


Canard turned, and gave Duke a curious glance. Duke suddenly had the uncanny feeling that this gifted duck could see inside his soul.  
  


"He can't," Cassidy reassured him. "As long as you and I are bonded no gifted can touch your mind."  
  


At that moment Canard grinned. "So you think you can find the Mallar vault?"  
  


"I'll manage," Duke said, evenly.   
  


"Wait a second," Mallory said. "Canard, you're not considering letting him go off break into Mallar Manor by himself?"  
  


Duke sighed mentally. "When you hire Duke L'Orange, he doesn't do half of a job. Now I'm going. Take care of Canard. I'll be back."  
  


"You're not -" Mallory began as she reached for her puck blaster. Her hand came back empty. "Hey! What gives?"   
  


Duke gave a wicked grin, and showed Mallory her own puck blaster. Dangling from one of his fingers. "Just making sure you don't get any ideas, Red. Here catch!"  
  


Duke tossed the weapon back over to Mallory. When her eyes turned from him to her gun, he slipped out into the Labyrinth of tunnels. Following Cassidy's mental instructions, he found his way back to Mallar Manor.   
  


Dusk had just settled in the valley. It was Duke's favorite time of day. Quickly he reexamined the area. There was no point in going by what they learned earlier. As Cassidy had said, they had increased the guard around the house. There was no way he could sneak up to the house with all the Saurians around.  
  


"Duke, I know another way in," Cassidy told him.  
  


~I'm listening, sweetheart,~ Duke silently answered her.   
  


"Go back to the caverns. There is a tunnel that will lead into the house," Cassidy explained.   
  


Duke nodded, and retraced his way back through the caverns. Following Cassidy's lead, he threaded his way through the labyrinth until Cassidy stopped him at an apparent dead end.  
  


"Cas, did we make a wrong turn somewhere?" Duke asked.   
  


Cassidy appeared next to a set of stalactites. She pointed to the largest of the formations. "Push that," she said.   
  


After two years, Duke had learned not to question anything Cassidy said, no matter how strange. Duke shoved the stalactite which, to his surprise, slid about a foot. He heard a wrenching grinding groan to his left. Turning he saw a slab of stone shift and fall to Duke's waist.   
  


Cassidy sighed. "It's been so long. The door used to go all the way down."  
  


Duke smiled. "Don't let it ruffle your feathers, sweetheart. The day I can't vault a two foot wall is the day I hang up my lock picks.  
  


He easily vaulted the remaining barrier and continued down a passageway of polished earth brown stone tiles. The tunnel opened into a huge chamber cut from the rocks holding up the manor. Even in the dim light Duke could see dozens of borders twice his size that made up the walls of this cavernous room.   
  


A find brown dust covered the floor completely. There wasn't a scrap of wood or cloth in the room. The room was dome shaped with a ledge of granite all around. The ledge was just large enough for a person to stand on comfortably. At the far end of the room was a dias that would have held several people. All around the ledge, the dias and the middle of the room were the skeletons of about twenty ducks. At the back of the dias was a huge disk of rough light brown sandstone. On the disk were carved symbols that Duke had never seen before in all his years of stealing.  
  


Duke tried to ignore the death, and the dry musty smell in the room, but he could not ignore the overwhelming age of the place. It made his feathers prickle to think that he was the first duck to see this place in two thousand years. Reverently he moved forward to the dias and placed his hand on the carved disk. The thing was literally humming with a power he could feel in every cell in his body.   
  


"Cas," Duke whispered as if he feared to disturb the place. "What is all this?"  
  


Cassidy was also overwhelmed by the room, but for a completely different reason. "Home, Duke," she said with a fierce joy. "This is my home."  
  


Duke glanced around noting the skeletons. "Well that I know Cas, but what was this room?"  
  


Cassidy smiled. "When my family had a great task to accomplish all who had gifts would join forces, and the task would be quickly done." She looked up at the disk. "This stone is a vessel of great power. Only my grandmother knew it's secrets." She died when the Saurians attacked." Cassidy looked over at one of the skeleton's that lay on the dias and shivered.   
  


Duke sighed and rested his hand on her transparent back. If he applied pressure his hand would pass through her, but because of the bond he could touch her lightly.  
  


"Cas, I'm sorry," Duke said, sadly.  
  


Cassidy sighed and turned to smile at him. "It was a long time ago. I've gotten over it for the most part."  
  


"Sure," Duke said reassuringly. He glanced around once more making sure that there was nothing he had overlooked. "Okay, Cas, to business. Where is the vault?"  
  


Cassidy composed herself and looked upwards. "Two floors above our current position. In my grandmother's audience chamber."   
  


Duke nodded. "Let's get moving then, Cas. Lead the way.   
  


Cassidy moved to the left. "This way," she said. She floated along the platform until she came upon an opening. "Here, this passage will take us to the ground floor. My grandmother's audience chamber is on the second floor."  
  


Duke entered the corridor, glad that they were leaving the lower chamber. It obviously had brought back many sad memories to Cassidy. He followed her through the passage which ended at a ladder. Duke climbed up slowly until he saw an air vent ahead of him. He peered into what appeared to be a storage room. The earthen vats that had held roots and other vegetables were empty now. As below nothing organic had survived the test of time. The same fine dust littered the room, but this time the dust was littered with Saurian footprints.   
  


Duke switched to mental communication instantly. ~Heads up sweetheart we might have company.~  
  


Cassidy answered back, "I know. They are in the next chamber on your left."  
  


Duke nodded and quietly moved up the cellar stairs. He pressed his ear against the access door   
  


"Don't open the door yet," Cassidy said," There are Saurians on the other side.   
  


~I know, I can hear them, sweetheart.~ Duke said in his mind. ~Let me know when it's clear.~ He was pretty exposed on the staircase. If the Saurians below decided to go upstairs, Duke would be trapped.  
  


As the minutes ticked by, Duke grew more and more nervous. A rustling of sounds below him made him wonder if the Saurians were preparing to come upstairs. ~Cas...~ he sent to his invisible scout.  
  


"The way is almost clear," she answered calmly.   
  


The sounds below grew louder. ~Cas, I can't stay here!~ Duke insisted.  
  


Suddenly he heard a voice saying, "Almost meal time. I'll bring some back for you guys."  
  


~Oh no, no no no no no! ~ Duke thought. He frantically looked around for a way out of this mess.~ Cas?~  
  


"They haven't moved yet," Cassidy answered.  
  


Duke finally took a chance. He braced himself up against the walls above the stairs, suspending himself in the air.  
  


The Saurian lumbered up the stairs he was short and heavily built. Duke gave a mental sigh of relief as he realized that if the Saurian had been taller he might have been discovered.   
  


The Saurian opened the door and left the cellar. Duke waited a few more minutes, ignoring the ache in his muscles. He heard the Saurian having a few words with the others out in the hall, and then the voices faded.  
  


"It's all clear now, Duke," Cassidy said.  
  


Duke lightly jumped down from his position, and slowly opened the door. It opened into an old deteriorating hallway. He paused, and listened for a moment. When he heard nothing, he ever so slowly moved out into the hall.  
  


~Okay, sweetheart, I'm way over conspicuous here. Where can I hide, and which way do I go?~He mentally asked Cassidy.  
  


Cassidy appeared on his right. "The stairs to the next level are down this hall on the left, but the entryway is open. You'll be seen if you use it.   
  


~Then we have to find a way to get me up there without being seen.~ Duke saw a set of draperies along a window. He used them for cover as he quietly slipped up to where the stairs to the second level lay.   
  


Cassidy was right. This was going to be difficult. The area was wide open, leading to a pair of staircases that spiraled up to a landing on the second floor. Three Saurians stood guard in the area; two at the foot of each set of steps, and one on the top landing.   
  


Duke bit back a few curses. Cursing fate never made a job easier. He carefully scanned the hall. The drapes were in tatters and far to brittle to risk his weight on. Then he spied a huge statue of marble along the edge of the landing behind the Saurian guard. ~Hey Cas, will that thing hold my weight?~  
  


Puzzled Cassidy answered. "Yes, it is very heavy. Duke, what are you planning?"  
  


~Watch,~ Duke answered with a grin. He loved this kind of job. It was so difficult it made him alert. His heart was beating slightly faster and he felt his feathers prickle as his muscles tensed. He fired his grappler with a minimum of noise, and easily hooked the statue. He froze for a few seconds as he made sure that the grappler didn't attract the attention of the three Saurians in plain sight.   
  


None of the Saurians moved, they didn't even look up. They appeared to be bored. Duke grinned. ~Fools,~ Duke thought to himself. ~They don't expect anyone can get past their outer defenses so their not taking their job seriously. Ah well makes things easier for me. ~ Once he was certain he hadn't been noticed, he easily swung up to the second level.   
  


He landed lightly again without a sound, and quickly slipped into the shadows of the second floor.   
  


"Okay, now," Cassidy said. "Go down the hall and make a left turn. My grandmother's audience chamber is through the double doors."  
  


Duke nodded silently. There didn't appear to be any Saurians on this floor, but Duke didn't drop his guard for a second. Moving from shadow to shadow, Duke maneuvered his way down the hall to the large double doors. He paused at the doors and waited until Cassidy told him it was all clear, then he opened the door and slipped into the room.  
  


Again the age of the room was overwhelming. There was more dust, and more tattered drapes and rugs. Duke sighed as he mentally calculated the wealth that had been destroyed by time. Old chairs that were still serviceable had been used recently. Other chairs had been shattered for firewood. The one chair that didn't look destroyed was a huge gilded throne up on a dias in the back of the room. It was carved from a single block of wood that was fastened to the dias it sat on. Cassidy materialized in front of the chair and rested her head on the seat. "Grandmother," she said, her voice close to a sob.  
  


Duke shifted uneasily, keeping behind the throne so he wouldn't be seen. He didn't want to disturb Cassidy from her grief, but he didn't like being exposed like this. He wanted his job done and to be gone. He coughed uneasily which caused Cassidy to look up.  
  


"Oh, I'm sorry Duke. It's been so long since I've seen this room. I can almost feel my grandmother's presence." She lowered her head once more touching her forehead to the chair. "Okay," she said, "I'm ready now. Duke, I want you to come over here and grasp the handles of my grandmother's chair.  
  


Duke frowned at being out in the open like that, but he did as he was told. He faced the chair and placed both hands on either arm.   
  


"Now push," Cassidy ordered.  
  


Duke did, but the chair only shifted an inch. Duke looked to Cassidy, but she seemed satisfied. She was standing now behind the throne with a grin on her face.   
  


"Now come over here," Cassidy said. Duke complied. To his surprise the back of the chair was hinged and swung to the side opening a secrete passage.  
  


"Well I'll be," Duke said with admiration. Cassidy, still smiling, gestured to the opening. Shaking his head. Duke, went down the stairs under the chair into the Mallar vault.   
  


The vault was unremarkable, compared to the deteriorating splendor of the manor. It was made of stone, not titanium like the vaults in this time, but there were a number of small crevices and chambers where valuables could be.   
  


It was too dark to see so Duke pulled out his flashlight and took a look around. What he saw was enough to make his fingertips tingle remembering jobs of the past. The place laterally sparkled with gold and sliver, and jewels beyond his imagination. The Saurians were literally sitting on a fortune.   
  


Duke sighed wistfully. Cassidy appeared behind him. "That's not what you're here for," she reminded him.   
  


"I know, sweetheart, but still, can I come back here and clean this out later? I could retire very comfortably with what's here."  
  


Cassidy had to laugh. "You never stole anything to get rich, Duke. You'd be bored to tears if you ever did retire."  
  


Duke shrugged. "Your right as usual, Cas. Well we know Canard doesn't want the gold. He wanted information. Where are your records, Cas?"  
  


Cassidy gave Duke a knowing smile. "Over here," she said indicating a shelf behind a collection of sapphire and amethyst jewelry.   
  


Duke looked wistfully at the jewelry then looked in the small crevice where there was four stacks of envelopes and folded papers wrapped together. "That's what he wants," Cassidy said.  
  


Duke nodded and pulled out his carry bag. Into it slipped the four stacks of papers. Then he reached over to the gold and placed ten gold coins in his pocket.   
  


"Duke!!!" Cassidy said sternly. She tried to force him to drop the coins but he fought her on this one.   
  


"Cas! Lay off! I'm not taking them for me!" He said. When he had regained control of his arm, he said, "I need them for something. Cas, will you just trust me?"  
  


Cassidy sighed and relinquished her control of him. "What are you up to Duke, L'Orange?" She asked.   
  


Duke grinned. "You'll see, now is there anyone in the audience room? It's time to go."  
  


"There are three Saurian's in my grandmother's audience chamber," Cassidy said annoyed. "I think one of them is a sorcerer Saurian. I think he can sense us."  
  


Duke bit back a curse, and went back to thought communication. ~Is there another way out of the vault, Cas?~  
  


"Yes," Cassidy said. "There is a passage behind this shelf, that leads to the main hall, but there are five Saurians guarding the main hall.  
  


Duke nodded thoughtfully. ~Okay this is your house Cas. What do you suggest? ~  
  


Cassidy sighed. "Ordinarily I'd say go for the three, but if one of them is a sorcerer..."  
  


Duke nodded. ~I get you, sweetheart I go for the five in the hall. ~ Duke pulled open the spare shelf where the papers had been stored. He slipped easily into the passageway. At the other end he listened at the door while Cassidy scouted ahead. ~Okay Cas, what are they doing? I need to see.~  
  


"You can crack the door," Cassidy said, "they won't notice that."   
  


Duke cracked the door, and peered past the tapestry hiding the opening. Sure enough there were five Saurians between him and the front door. There was a window to the left, and only two of the Saurians were between him and that window.   
  


~Cas, my sweet, I think I found my way out! Now you get to see what the gold is for. ~ Duke knelt down and pulled four coins out of his pocket. Ever so quietly he rolled the coins on the floor past the Saurians. Sure enough the two Saurians followed the rolling coins and didn't turn back to see where they had come from.  
  


~Morons,~ Duke grinned to himself. Quickly he slipped between the Saurians to the window. There were more Saurians out in front of the house, but they were looking away from the house, so Duke just climbed up onto the front of the building. In seconds he was on the roof.  
  


He was almost to the back of the house, and home free when he saw a cloud of smoke in which appeared the tall Saurian with the neck ruff and black flowing robes who had stopped him and Canard before. He stood between Duke and the forest at the edge of the cliff. Worse, he was facing the house, and could clearly see him on the roof.  
  


"That's your sorcerer Cas?" Duke asked.  
  


Cassidy didn't bother appearing she just shouted, "Duke, move it!"  
  


Before he even had time to react to her jerking his spiritual leach he knew what he was going to do. He threw out his grappler to the nearest tree, and latched on. As he swung out the Saurian fired a bolt of mystic energy which cut the chord in half. Duke fell sprawling to the ground. He jumped up onto the balls of his feet, but he found himself surrounded by three Saurian grunts and the sorcerer.  
  


~Cas, can you protect me from this guy?~ Duke asked.  
  


Cassidy sounded worried. "I don't know," she said.  
  


Duke sighed, ~oh thanks Cas. ~ He answered back sarcastically.  
  


"Well I don't!" Cassidy insisted.   
  


The Sorcerer raised his hand and sent a wave of energy right at Duke. Duke couldn't move, to escape. He closed his eyes and braced himself.  
  


Nothing happened.   
  


Duke opened his eyes to see that something in his vest pocket was glowing faintly. The flames from the attack were already dissipating. Cassidy hadn't stopped the attack. The Mallar Emerald itself, the very item that had bonded his soul to Cassidy's, had just saved his life.  
  


~Sweetheart, there are times when I think I love you.~ Duke thought to her. He drew his blade. And faced the Saurian warriors."  
  


The sorcerer was furious. "Kill him!" He ordered.   
  


"You can try," Duke snapped back. He held his saber in an easy ready position, and waited for the first attack.  
  


Suddenly the sound of gunfire came from the forest itself. Duke rolled to the ground, and rolled past the other Saurians. He jumped to his feet and turned to the forest only to see Canard's partner, Mallory firing at the group of Saurians.   
  


"Come on L'Orange! Move it!" She ordered. Ordinarily Duke would have taken her to task for ordering him around, but he figured now was not the time to quibble. He collided with the Sorcerer, instinctively grabbing on to a small item within the pocket of the robes. Running over the Saurian, he raced for the forest, using his saber to repel the laser fire from the reinforcements. Finally he and Mallory disappeared into the forest, and ran for the caves.   
  


The Sorcerer wasn't giving up though, he started firing more of the mystic bolts at the pair. When he hit above the entranceway to a cave, Mallory paused and backed up. Duke turned to see Mallory looking at the debris in fear.   
  


~Damn, I guessed it before, she hated the caves when I brought her in there the first time! She's claustrophobic.~ Duke didn't wait for her to gather herself. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the caves.   
  


"No!" Mallory tried to pull away from him. "He's going to make it cave in!"  
  


"Come on!" Duke insisted. He forcibly dragged her into the caves, but she was fighting him with everything she had.   
  


"It's going to cave in!" Mallory said. She sounded really frightened.  
  


Duke sighed then resorted to something he didn't like. He lifted her puck launcher from her as they struggled and whapped her on the head with the butt just so, stunning her without hurting her severely.   
  


Mallory slumped forward, and Duke hefted her onto his shoulder. He hadn't expected someone so disciplined to be afraid of enclosed spaces, but then again, he didn't know enough about the military to understand why a claustrophobic was among their ranks. With the bag on one shoulder, and Mallory on his other, Duke found his way back to Canard.   
  


Canard was awake and on his feet, when Duke got back to the open cavern. "What happened?" He asked. As he helped Duke lay Mallory on the bedroll.   
  


"You didn't tell me she was claustrophobic," Duke said calmly. At Canards alarmed expression, he said, "relax I know how to disable someone. She'll wake with a headache in an hour, but she'll be fine.   
  


Canard sighed, but didn't argue. "Was there debris coming from the ceiling?" He asked. When Duke nodded, Canard said, "I understand then. Usually she's not that bad." Duke waited, but Canard didn't elaborate.   
  


"Oh, by the way," Duke said, taking the bag off of his shoulder. "Is this what you wanted?  
  


Mallory was instantly forgotten, as Canard grabbed the bag and rummaged through it. "Was this all the papers?"   
  


"Yep," Duke nodded. "I hate to tell you what I had to leave behind." When Canard looked up puzzled, Duke flipped one of the remaining coins to him.   
  


Canard appraised the gold coin critically. "How much?" He asked in wonder.  
  


Duke grinned. "More than you're paying me." Duke said mischievously. "I might go back in a few weeks. I don't think the Saurians are going to find that vault ever."  
  


Canard must have found what he wanted, he opened a map and scrutinized it carefully. "How did you find the vault?" He asked.  
  


Duke wasn't about to tell him that. "Professional secret," he said. While Canard busied himself with the maps, he looked at what he had lifted from the Saurian sorcerer.   
  


It was the golden wand they had used on Canard earlier.   
  


If Duke's comment bothered Canard he didn't show it. In fact he looked rather pleased. "You got it," he said in wonder. "I don't know how you did it, but you got the map!"  
  


"You wanted a map?" Duke asked. He slipped the wand into his pocket.  
  


"Duke," Cassidy asked warningly.  
  


~Relax sweetheart I'm not going to use it. I don't know how to for one thing. I just want to keep it. You never know, it might come in handy against the Saurians. ~ Cassidy didn't argue further, which made Duke feel better. He was starting to feel as if his job was done, and he needed to be moving on.   
  


Canard was absorbed completely with the map. "This isn't just a map, friend. This is...." He paused and turned to the unconscious Mallory. "Oh she'll kill me if I tell you, but you've really helped the resistance, L'Orange. Now if you give me a minute I'll get your..." Canard looked up to see that Duke L'Orange was gone. The only thing he left behind was the remaining gold coins, and a note that said:  
  


It's been fun. No charge for the workout. L'Orange.  
  


*******************

Epilogue:   
  


two months later:  
  


~How did he find me?~ Duke wondered. He wondered if Canard had been taking lessons in being invisible from someone, because he hadn't seen any sign of the resistance leader since he left Canard in the caverns below Mallar Manor all those weeks ago.   
  


Even so the note was here at the inn where they had met waiting for him, and according to the innkeeper Canard had just been in here less than an hour ago.   
  


Shrugging Duke read the note again.  
  


Hope to find you well. My partner and I have been very busy lately and we're ready to make a full attack on Dragonus. I thought you'd like to be in on it so consider this a full invitation. I have an errand elsewhere right now, but if you go to the hockey rink in South Dukane City, you'll meet up with Mallory. She'll brief you on what we're going to do. I look forward to seeing you again.   
  


P.S. Yes she does want to kill you for decking her, but she is under orders not to.   
  


Duke read the letter a third time. ~Well what do you think Cas?~ Duke asked.   
  


Cassidy grinned. "They are going to take down Dragonus."  
  


Duke was smiling as well. ~You want to go for it, don't you.~  
  


"You don't fool me, Duke," Cassidy said. "You want to go too."  
  


~To break into Dragonus' master tower.~ Duke mused. ~What thief could resist that? ~  
  


"Who indeed." Cassidy said. She was as excited as he was.  
  


Duke paid for his meal and got his feet. He had quite a way to get to South Dukane City.~Cassie, my sweet, this is going to be an adventure to remember.~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
